The present invention relates to a conductor joint, comprising a conductor or wire connector for providing a galvanic joint between the connector and flat metal-strip conductors surrounded by an insulating sheath. Such a conductor joint is used for the supply of electricity into a conductor or the delivery of electricity from a conductor or for a joint between conductors required in the branching or extension of a wire.
The invention relates also to a tool and a method for making a conductor joint.
A wire connector or a conductor joint of the invention is especially intended for use in a new type of electric harness included in vehicles, particularly in automobiles, for supplying power to signal lamps, headlights or other electrical equipment of a vehicle. However, the invention is not limited to any given application. Another exemplary application includes community lighting systems.
The electric harnesses of automobiles and vehicles in general have been traditionally designed in such a manner that separate wires extend to the service points like signal lamps and headlights through operating switches and fuses. All signal and warning lights are also provided with separate wires which extend between a power source transducer and a light source. A result of this is that the electric harnesses included in automobiles make up a labour-intensive and quite expensive element in an automobile. Another problem is the defect sensitivity of such electric harnesses, which is due to a large number of joints between conductors and various components as well as to the fact that the conductors have an enormous total length, causing a significant possibility of short circuits e.g. as a result of attrition. The locating of contact faults and short circuits and the mending of defects in such electric harnesses is a tedious process.
International Patent application WO93/10591 discloses an improved system, wherein the signal lamps and other such electrically operated items are connected in parallel to one or just a few wires, whose conductor is provided with a code for the controlled operation of lamps and other such actuators. The lamp or the lamp socket is provided with necessary electronics for identifying an operation control code intended for a relevant lamp or some other actuator. This system is capable of substantially simplifying an automobile electric harness for essentially reduced total costs and susceptibility to defects.